How many times have you been to a child’s birthday party with a bunch of laughing, screaming kids and lots of toys, and what the children end up playing with are the cardboard boxes, ribbons and ties from the gifts, loose parts from one of the toys (and not as they were intended to be used), or a pile of dirt or rocks next door? OK, that proves it – all they really need to play is a dirt pile and a bucket; unstructured play is the secret to happiness. >> read article

The most vivid memories of my childhood are those that I spent outside, especially in the summer. Besides the usual outdoor playing that kids do, going to the beach and camping, one of my favorite things to do was to harvest the vegetable garden. My mom would ask me if I wanted to check to see if anything was ripe, and before she could finish her sentence, I was out the door, hoping to find the perfect slicing tomato or snap bean to be included in our next meal. Our small vegetable garden was in our backyard, nestled between a half-acre of finely groomed turf and the woods. With a quick sprint across the lawn, I would soon enter this amazing world. I felt the warmth of the sun on my face and the cool dirt under my feet as I walked up and down the neatly organized rows, searching for the perfect fruit. The whole time, I was distracted by the questions in my head about the beauty and power that I felt the plants held over me. How do they do that? I couldn’t rely only on my sight or touch. I needed to smell and taste to determine if something was ready to pick. I don’t know how long I would be in the garden because I would lose track of time. I would hear my mom’s faint voice in the distance calling me to come inside. >> read article

When autumn winds turn bone-chilling cold and children dream of becoming vampires, parents might want to have some crafty ideas in their bags of tricks. If you don’t feel like getting pumpkin slime all over the kitchen this year, try this DIY project that doesn’t require 30 minutes just for cleanup. >> read article

This winter, I’ve been thinking about how plants add meaning to our lives. I’m not thinking about our food plants, our medicinal plants or even plants that house us and clothe our bodies. Obviously, plants preserve and sustain our lives, and a study of even one economic plant is a fascinating pursuit. Rather, I am considering the plants that add sentimental value to life. >> read article